Convicted on three charges from stabbing incident

Created 25/01/13

A Dunedin man charged with attempting to murder a young
mother he stabbed and tried to smother last November has been
convicted on three other charges related to the attack.

The attempted murder charge and one of assault to commit
sexual violation were both withdrawn when Michael John
Chilcott (21) appeared in the Dunedin District Court
yesterday and admitted indictably-laid charges of aggravated
burglary, indecent assault and intentionally causing grievous
bodily harm.

Chilcott also admitted five unrelated charges of breaching
conditions of a sentence of intensive supervision.

On all charges he was convicted by Judge Jonathan Down and
remanded in custody for sentence on February 28.

The summary from prosecutor Sergeant Paul Knox said Chilcott
did not know the 26-year-old woman when he went to her flat
about 8.50am on November 19 and asked for a cup of water. The
woman filled his coffee mug with water and escorted him out
the back door. About 20 seconds later, he returned, asking
for another cup of water.

As the woman walked towards the kitchen, Chilcott followed
her. Beside the door to her bedroom, he struck her on the
face with his coffee mug and punched her. He pushed her into
the bedroom, telling her to be quiet and told her to do what
he wanted or he would harm her 3-year-old child, whom he
directed to go to the lounge.

After shutting the bedroom door, he pushed the woman down on
the bed. She kicked out at him and he grabbed her legs,
pulling down her pyjama pants. He then lay on top of her,
using his weight to control her, and tried to undo his
trousers.

The woman continued to struggle and Chilcott pulled a pair of
scissors from his pocket. He opened them, pushing the blade
into the woman's neck so hard she could feel it against the
roof of her mouth. When she tried to protect herself, he
stabbed her four more times in the neck and three times
behind the ear. She managed to grab the scissors from him and
Chilcott put both hands around her neck and started choking
her.

The woman dropped the scissors so she could prise his hands
from her throat and the defendant fell off the bed. He picked
up a pillow and tried to smother her before vomiting and
saying ''what have I done''. He talked about leaving the flat
if she promised not to call the police.

The woman agreed to that but when she went to leave the room
to check on her child, Chilcott attacked her again. During
the struggle they both fell to the floor and he again placed
a pillow over her face in another attempt to smother her.

Eventually, the victim managed to break free. She ran into
the living area where she unlocked the back door. Chilcott
threatened to hurt her child if she did not return to the
bedroom, so she agreed to come back. However, after taking a
few steps, she turned and sprinted out the back door with the
child. They were helped by a motorist, who took them to
Dunedin Hospital.

The woman needed surgery for five stab wounds to her neck and
three behind her ear. She also had major swelling to her
face, two black eyes, a swollen upper lip, bruising to her
arms and cuts to her hands.

Chilcott had fled. When apprehended by police, he admitted
responsibility for the attack but denied it was sexually
motivated. He claimed he had been looking for money.